I love my music the same way a stern parent lays down the law on their child, “Loud & Clear”. By the end of this review, you’ll know whether or not Zipbuds’ CHOICE, a premium tangle-free headphone is worth the hype.

If you’re not familiar with the brand, Zipbuds are well known for their stylish, innovative take on cabling. Their patented ‘Zipper Integrated Cable’ transfers optimum sound through silver plated copper alloy. And for the people who tear up every pair of headphones they’ve own, the military grade Aramid and Maeden tinsel technology infuses high level protection with ‘on the fly’ style. In other words, they’ve done everything possible to separate their brand in an ever-growing headphones market.

So how does CHOICE stack up on product appearance?

The CHOICE is available in white and black, both with a grey Zipper Integrated Cable. DJ’s will love the 54” cable; great for maneuverability while performing, fully adjustable headphones with 2” extensions for each ear, and unlike the leading competitor on the scale of this product, CHOICE doesn’t need batteries to operate. If you’re not a DJ, and let’s say 5’6” tall, you’ll have a lot of cable to try to stuff in your pocket.

So how does CHOICE stack up on Sound?

Yes, the most important question to be answered. My favorite test song for any pair of headphones is “Smooth Criminal” by Michael Jackson. The BAD album, without a shadow of a doubt is the greatest album of all-time for sound engineering. ‘Smooth Criminal’, from the opening deep heart beating of bass, syncopated bassline and merciless guitar play, soft synths and Michael’s classic vocal highs, combined with an extraordinary mix-down, if any of those sounds bleed together, your headphones are junk. On a scale of 1 to 10, without the use of an EQ, CHOICE narrowly passed with a 7. Increasing the volume, from minimum to maximum, I couldn’t separate the sounds in my mind. I shouldn’t have to equalize a perfect mixdown.

On the Hip-Hop side of things, my favorite test song is “In The Club” by 50 Cent. I won’t go into as dramatic detail to explain why. I’ll just say a little birdie from Los Angeles put me on to the fact this song was used in the early stages of tweaking their headphone empire. On a scale of 1 to 10, CHOICE passed with an 8. Depending on your choice of EQ, the ranking could reach a 9.

Overall, I give the CHOICE by Zipbuds a 7.5 out of 10.

If you’re a devoted Apple fan, CHOICE is compatible with the iPhone, iPod, and iPad. Sorry, Droid users. Noise Reduction is second-to-none. And the carry case is efficient. Is it worth the $199 price tag? For quality, durability, competitors in that range, and style, yes it is. But if you’re looking for the best headphone on the market, not quite.